Moving on from a county court judgment

A county court judgment (CCJ) is a court's decision that you owe someone money. There are clear steps for dealing with one, and paying in time can take it off the register altogether. This page explains how a CCJ works in England and Wales, how to clear, change or cancel one, how lenders see it, and where people can get free help.

What a CCJ is

You may get a CCJ if a person or business takes you to court for money they say you owe, and you do not respond to the claim. The judgment means the court has formally decided that you owe the money. It comes in the post.

The judgment says how much you owe and who to pay. It also says how to pay, in full or in instalments, and the deadline. If you ignore it, you could be taken back to court and made to pay. The law in Scotland is different, and the Accountant in Bankruptcy publishes guidance there.

Clearing it within a month

Judgments go on the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines for six years. If you pay the full amount within one month, you can have the judgment removed from the register. You write to the court and send proof of payment from the person or business you owed.

If you pay after one month, the record can be marked as "satisfied". It stays on the register for six years, and anyone searching it will see that you paid. You can ask the court for a certificate as proof, using form N443.

Changing the payments, or cancelling a wrong judgment

You pay the person or business named on the judgment, or their solicitor, and never the court. If you cannot afford the payments, you can ask the court to change them using form N245. You give details of your income and spending, and say what you can realistically pay.

If you do not owe the money, you can ask the court to cancel the judgment. This is called having it "set aside". You can also do this if you did not receive the original claim. You apply on form N244, and you may have to pay a court fee and attend a private hearing.

How lenders see a CCJ, and checking your own record

Banks and loan companies use the register to decide whether to give someone credit. Registry Trust keeps the register for England and Wales on behalf of the Ministry of Justice. You can search for judgments against your own name through its TrustOnline service, for a small fee. If the information is wrong, you contact the court where the judgment was made.

Free help with debt

StepChange and National Debtline are debt advice charities, and their advice is free. A debt adviser can also apply for Breathing Space for you. It gives up to 60 days of protection in England and Wales. During that time creditors cannot add interest or charges to the debts it covers, or take enforcement action.

People with a CCJ and total debts under £5,000 can ask the court for an administration order. That lets them make one regular payment to the court to cover all their debts.

Spotting loan scams before you borrow again

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) warns about loan fee fraud. Scammers often contact people who have applied for loans online. They offer a loan, then ask for an upfront fee, sometimes blaming a bad credit history. The loan never arrives, and neither does a refund.

The FCA says to deal only with firms it has authorised. You can check a firm on the FCA register and use the contact details shown there. Loan sharks are illegal moneylenders who often charge very high interest. You can report one anonymously.